The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-05
In tho House.

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by the storm, so that the members could go
home and look after their affairs The reso-
luton was tabled.
Mr. Stewart, of Rockdale moved TO re
consider the action of the House yesterday
in adopting the resolution OF Mr.. keenan, for
the appointment of special committee to
visit the lunatc asylum and report upon its
condition.
Mr.. Stewart said that the regular com
mittee on the lunatic asylum had under
consideration at the time of the adoption OF
the resolution the appointment of sub
committee to visit the asylum and make the
investigation sought. He thought it dis
courteous to the committee to take this
matter out of their hands IL was q refiec-
ton upon the committee to assume that
they would cover up anything.
Mr.. keenan, Of Baldwin, said that he had
had sixteen years experience in the manage
ment of the asylum, and be thought he knew
the necessity for the investigation. He had
been for twenty days urging the Asylum
Committee to make it. He had not found
one of the committee sent to the asylum
last winter who would say that he had made
O satisfactory examination into the matters
complained Of He denied that he was OPP
posed to the asylum The House had waited
patiently for full report upon its condition
and management.
MERE SHAM.
The last examination was a mere sham.
He did not think the House ought to crafty
a few gentlemen of the Asylum Committee.
He declared emphatically that there were
wrongsat the Asylum that ought TO beright
ed. He read from the reports OF the institution
to show grand increase of the sums paid
for wages and for stationery, etc, until they
amount to over $4,000. be asked where
were the results of the scientific treatment
OF the patients. The reports failed 20 show
L 4l,..N
go into the childs play OF reconsidering its
action with these facts before il. He said that
white woman had been buried among ne
groes, and when her relatives sought TO
have her remains exhumed the first body
dug up was that of negro woman, show.
ing gross carelessness in marking tho resting
places Of the dead. The asylum had never
had a thorough examination since Gov
Smith had sent Dr. Bozeman there. He
called upon any member to rise and affirm
that there had been such an investigation,
and no one reported. He moved to table
the motion, which prevailed.
THE REFoRMAToRY BILL
The special order was DR.. Felton's re-
forlnatory bill. Ia committee of the whole
Mr. Arnheim resumed his speech in oppo-
sition. He objected TO the original bill be
cause it included all convicts. This had
been amended in the substitute. He OBJ
tees with power to create. any number of
offices That still remains in the substitute
He objected third because il vests the trus-
tess with power To fix the salaries
of the officers created by them This was
an extraordinary delegation of power-one
not given 10 the governor. He objected
fourth because upon the commission of the
most trivial Offenses their perpetrators must
be sent 10 the house of correction chained
with hardened female convicts. This pro-
vision had been cork-screwed into
the bill. He objected fifth because
by its provisions the most hardened female
convictS and youthful offenders were TO be
coniiDed and worked together. That had
not been eliminated by the substitute
females who have forgotten their re-
spect for both God and man. He
objected, sixth because the record of
penitentIaries shows that most convicts un-
der IL years Of age are sentenced for hienous
crimes He objected seventh, because no
provision is made for furnishing discharged
convicts with clothes, etc, rs the law now
requires. He objected eighth, because the
cost Of this reform prison would be a ter
rife and continued drain upon the treasury
OF the State. He contended that the APP
preparation made by the bill would be only
a small portion of the expense Of the sys-
tenn.
NIX. AttNhElM y
Mr. Arnheim had the Clerk read as a part
of his argument a substitute for the bill
which he Intended TO offer, viz: "A bin TO
require the present lessees to establish dis
tinct and separate camps for all female con-
victs and all male convicts under 10 years
of age, these camps to be kept distinct and
separate from those of male convicts over
10" His substitute contains elaborate de
tails for carrying out this main provision
alc fin Of tb. whit IN
and black convicts ann prcscribes the hours
of labor, and makes other requirements for
the humane treatment of the convcts.
Mr.. Arnheim, resuuling. said that the bill
just read embodied mis- ideas on the subject
of convict care and punishment. He was
aware that the gentleman from Barlow had
cut of his substitute by Offering a prior
substitute, and that he was left no altCrna-
tive but 20 oppose both the bill and the sub
stitute He agreed with the gentleman from
Barlow that Christianity was "A great civil
izsr. Standing here as a Jew he gave this
testimony Of It's glorious effects, but the dec
alogue also contained grand truths and oh
legations which should be enforced, and
when il is proposed to tax the honest citizen
that the criminal may be supported In idle
ness, be o. posei 1t, and bad the approval
of his own Conscience, and he doubted not
of the divinity.
SIMMONS OPPOSITION.
Mr. Simmons, of Sumter, opposed the
bill He said be was prepared to hear such
sentiments as those uttered. by the gentle
man from Barlow from Harriet Beecher
Stowe. but he was surprised to hear them on
this floor He related poetic dream which
he had of the elysium of the gentleman from
Barlow, but his dream was dispelled by a
view of the real system proposed. He
deprecated the raking up of questions calcu-
lated to create divisions between the races.
AN ODD FIGURE.
The gentleman from Barlow, with the
banner of Prohibition in one hand, appeal
ing to the white voters and the banner Of the
refoi1natory school in the other, appealing
90 the colored voters, might be strong
figure IN 1888 He did not believe that he
cared whether the bin passed or not. He
would accomplish his end in either
event He would not allow the bill
TO go back to O committee for
its report upon It, because he wanted il to be
s'my bill.r He indicated the doctors com
rarison OF his bill with the labors Of John
Howard, aud run as a suggestive parallel
bctwecn them ending in the craziness OF
Howard aud the commission by bis own